Controversial ILS flight path plan approved for the Gold Coast

By Nathanael Cooper

The Federal Government has approved a new instrument landing system for the Gold Coast, opening up a flight path over the homes of 60,000 residents.

Gold Coast Airport applied for permission to use the instrument landing system (ILS) to allow planes to land at the airport in bad weather.

A controversial flight path has been approved for the Gold Coast.

Photo: Louise Kennerley

Around 50 flights a year are diverted from the Gold Coast to other airports at a cost of $50,000 per flight.

The system allows pilots to fly lower on approach before making the decision whether a flight should be diverted.

A map showing the potential impact of increased aircraft noise over the Gold Coast.

Photo: Supplied

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A requirement of the ILS is a straight approach to the runway of 18 kilometres, which will be from the northern end of the airport.

This flight path will take planes over residences from Surfer's Paradise south to Palm Beach.

At the start of their approach planes will fly at a height of more than 750 metres before begining a steady descent to the runway.

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss approved the installation of ILS on runway 14 at the Gold Coast Airport.

"The ILS is a well-established, reliable navigational aid available at most international airports and at 27 other locations around Australia. All commercial pilots are qualified to fly an ILS approach and all Regular Public Transport (RPT) aircraft are equipped with the required avionics," Mr Truss said in a statement.

Last year, Gold Coast City Council's city planning committee rejected the proposal due to noise concerns.

The additional flights on the flight path are expected to cause 74 decibels of noise for residents in the affected areas.

Gold Coast Airport chief operating officer Marion Charlton said the ILS project would be able to move into its next phase.

"With the formal development approval process now complete, we can move into the next phase of the project – with construction scheduled for completion in 2017, well in advance of the 2018 Commonwealth Games," she said.

Ms Charlton said the airport would continue its consultation with the community in regards to the impact of the new technology on residents.

"First of all we will continue to engage with the community through our existing forums," she said.

"Secondly, we will be putting in the noise abatement procedures where (ILS) is only used when it has to be.

"Within 12-18 months of its implementation we will be doing a review of the impacts."

Sven Puetter of Stop The Flight Path, a community group set up in the wake of the proposed introduction of the technology, said the group was considering its options.

"We have continued to be contacted since the beginning of public consultation by numbers of concerned residents, some of whom are keen to combine support and resources on this issue to pursue legal options," he said.